ISLAMABAD: Health and anti-tobacco activists have appreciated the government’s stance on increased tobacco taxes.

During an event organised by Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Sparc), health activists said the decision would help Pakistan’s economy provided that the government remained steadfast by not falling for the tobacco industry’s misinformation campaign.

Country head of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) Malik Imran said tobacco was the largest silent killer in Pakistan as above 170,000 people die due to tobacco use each year.

“This pandemic also causes an annual economic burden of Rs615 billion which is 1.6pc of Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP). The industry claims to be the biggest major tax payer but revenue generated from the tobacco industry is only Rs120 billion,” he said, adding that on an average, Pakistani smokers spend 10pc of their monthly income on cigarettes.

Former technical head of Tobacco Control Cell of Ministry of Health Dr Ziauddin Islam mentioned that increased prices remain the most effective tool in keeping these products away from children and low-income groups.

He thanked the prime minister for increasing the federal excise duty (FED) on cigarettes in February and added that this good step should not remain a onetime activity. Taking into consideration, the recommendation of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Pakistan should increase taxes on regular intervals so that inflation and per capita income is accounted for and Pakistanis remain protected from harms of tobacco products.

Khalil Ahmed Dogar, programme manager (Sparc) said that children of Pakistan are being targeted by the tobacco industry so that replacement smokers could be recruited.

Around 1,200 Pakistani children between the ages of 6-15 years start smoking every day, he said.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2023